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MEYERS / FLUCK 

My cousin, Virginia Fox writes: “My mother [Naomi Louise Meyers Fox] is the smallest child on the floor in the middle of the front row. Her sister Miriam is the girl standing behind her with her arm on the old lady. The couple all the way on the left are Edwin Meyers and Katie Fluck Meyers”.

Miriam Leah Meyers Pickering is my grandmother who married Arthur John Pickering, Sr.

PDF version of this family history can be downloaded by clicking on this icon.

Katie Ellen Fluck Meyers most probably on her wedding (approximately age 16).

On July 3 1880, Katie’s father, Jacob H. Fluck, re-married to Ellamanda Saylor (Souder) [b. abt 1847], age about 33 years old, both of Richlandtown, by the Rev. H. F. Seiple. Ellamanda was Emma Catherine Souder’s sisterSource: http://www.larryhillpot.com/intell_marriages.htm

I found a family in the 1860 Census that might be a match for Jacob’s parents but have not verified it with any other sources, but I mention it here (below) as a possibility. This Jacob would have been born about 1850, which fits in the time frame of his marriage to his first wife who was born in 1855.

My Great Grandparents

Edwin Hoffman Meyers
b: 14 Mar 1874, Dublin, Bucks Co
m: about 1893, Bedminster, PA
d: 22 Dec 1907 (age 33) married
Bur: Quakertown Union Cemetery, Quakertown, PA
Father: Samuel S. Meyers
Mother: Amanda L. Hoffman
Occupation at death: Nickel Polisher
Died of: Peritonitis / Contributory Brain Tumor and enlarged spleen for 8 years
Member: St John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Quakertown

Katie Ellen Fluck
b: Oct 1875, Richlandown, PA
Mother: Katie F Souder
Father: Jacob H. Fluck

This is one of those photos that everyone is the family knows about. I heard about the photo of Katie with a goat on her back and my cousin just sent it. Since Katie raised goats, I guess she really liked getting up close and personal with them!

Edwin H. Meyers
& Katie Ellen Fluck

Katie was only 16 years old when she married 19-year-old Edwin H Meyers of Bedminster.

Their life together must have been very difficult because Edwin died in 1907 at the young age of 33 and Katie was about 30. In the 1900 census Edwin was listed as 26 years old with no occupation, which is very rare. Family lore is that Edwin was injured in a foundry accident, which led to his blindness, which meant he probably could not work in 1900. Since the accident happened at a young age, it meant that Katie bore the job of supporting the family (apparently for most of her life).

I am going to try to get his death certificate for verification, but it is possible he died from complications of that accident although heart failure is the leading cause of death in males at a young age in our family.

Their daughters, Naomi (Fox) and Miriam (Pickering), were only 13 and 11 years old when their father, Edwin, died.

The daughters of Naomi (Anne) and Miriam (Virginia), remember that Katie lived out in the country in New Jersey and kept goats and chickens and sold milk and eggs to support the family financially. She kept a vegetable garden and canned fruit and vegetables. Virginia (Sis) remembers her grandmother’s cellar full of canned goods. It’s also possible that she raised bulldogs – Anne thinks she raised the dogs for sale?

Miriam and Naomi were unfortunately forced to quit school early to help support the family. At ages 17 and 15 they were working as a telephone operator and waitress in Quakertown, PA.

Anne and Virginia also remember riding out the PRC (Philadelphia’s public transportation) to visit with Katie – she was a cashier for the PRC and they visited with her during her work hours. (see 1930 census for occupation below)

Before 1920, Katie remarried to Edwin Parker and was living in Philadelphia, and by 1930 they were living in Runnemede, New Jersey. I have not located her death certificate or burial place yet, so stay tuned!

 

SOUDER CENSUS

1880 Census – Franconcia, Montgomery Co., PA
Abraham Souder … Head, Age 62, b: 1818, Occ: Tailor
Leah …  Wife, Age 62, Keeping House
Katie Fluck  …  Grandchild, Age 3, b. abt 1877

1900 Census – Quakertown, Bucks Co, PA
Edwin Meyers … Head, Age 26, b: Mar 14 1874, PA, Occ: not listed
Married: 1893
Katie … Wife, Age 25, b. Oct 1875 (1877)
Naomi … Dau, Age 6, b. Feb 1894
Miriam  … Dau, Age 4, b. 1895

1907 Burial – Edwin H. Meyers
Birth: 1874 / Death: 1907, age 33
Burial: Quakertown Union Cemetery
Quakertown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA

1910 Census – Philadelphia, Ward 20, PA
Kate Myers … Head      Widow, age 33, Occ: Book Binder, Bindery
Naomi … Dau, age 17, Occ: Telephone Operator
Miriam … Dau , age 15 , Occ: Waitress, Restaurant

1920 Census – Philadelphia, Ward 43, PA
Edwin Parker … Head, age 41, Occ: Driver Tea Wagon
Catherine … Wife , age 42, Occ: None

1930 Census – Runnemede, Camden, NJ (Katie Ellen Fluck)
Edwin A Parker … Head, age 52, b. 1878  married 41, b. NJ, Occ: Receiver Department Store
Catherine E. … Wife, age 53, b. 1877  married 42, b. PA , Occ: Cashier Railway

FLUCK CENSUS

1860 Census – Philadelphia Ward 11, PA
Samuel Fluck … head … 38, b. abt 1822 … Shoemaker
Elizabeth Fluck … wife … 27, b. abt 1833
Jeremiah Fluck … 14 b. abt 1846 … apprentice
Jadith Fluck … 12
Jacob H. Fluck … 10 b. abt 1850
Charles L Fluck … 8
Erastus Fluck … 3
Hannah E. Fluck … 1/12

By the 1870 Cenuss, Jacob H. Fluck, who would have been about 20 years old, was not living in the household of his parents.

1870 Census – Philadelphia Ward 19, PA
Samuel Fluck … head … 48, b. abt 1822 … Clerk in Store
Elizabeth Fluck … wife … 37, b. abt 1833 … Keeping House
Erastus Fluck … 13
Hannah E. Fluck … 9

1890 Census – Philadelphia Ward 19, PA
Samuel Fluck … head … 48, b. abt 1822 … Clerk in Store
Elizabeth Fluck … wife … 37, b. abt 1833 … Keeping House

Death Certificate shows Samuel Fluck, age 79, died 7 June 1900 and was buried on 11 June 1900 in the Northwood Cemetery. At the time he was still living in the 19th Ward of Phiadelphia. The certificate states that he was still married.

1900 Census – Philadelphia Ward 19, PA [1 June, 1900]
Martin Ashman … head … 40, b. Jan 1860, married 14 yrs
Bella … Wife … 39, b. Jan 1861
Samuel Fluck … Son-in-Law … 78, b. Sept 1821 … married 44 yrs … Gentleman
Elizabeth Fluck … Mother-in-Law … 67, b. Sept 1832 [she had 5 children, 3 living at time of census]

1910 Census – Philadelphia Ward 22, PA [28 Apr 1910]
In home of: William West
Elizabeth Fluck … Mother-in-Law … widdowed … 73, [she had 7 children, 6 living at time of census] This may not be the correct Elizabeth Fluck.

Death Certificate shows Mrs. Elizabeth Fluck, age 84, died 25 Jan 1917 in Philadelphia, PA. Spouse: Samuel Fluck